Tom Brady’s retirement brought a huge problem for the Buccaneers. The team had to search for a new quarterback, and they found Baker Mayfield available in the free agency to offer him a spot in the league.

However, Mayfield encountered unexpected competition upon his arrival in Tampa Bay. Kyle Trask, who served as Brady’s backup last year, delivered a remarkable performance during this year’s training camps, raising doubts among the club’s staff.

Who will be the Buccaneers starting quarterback in the 2023 NFL season?

After an exhaustive competition, the Buccaneers have selected Baker Mayfield to be their starting quarterback this year. The former 1st overall pick convinced HC Todd Bowles to give him an opportunity, and he must take advantage of it to keep it until the end of the campaign.

What are Baker Mayfield’s NFL stats?

Before signing with the Bucs, Mayfield played for three teams: Browns, Panthers, and Rams. He has an all-time record of 31-38, with 1,386 passes completed out of 2,259 attempts, 16,288 yards, 102 touchdowns, and 64 interceptions.

The former first overall pick joined the team as a free agent this offseason, following a short stint with the Los Angeles Rams last year. The 2021 second-round pick, meanwhile, is fighting for the promotion within the organization.

Offensive coordinator Dave Canales revealed last week that the competition has tightened during training camp, so it’s still uncertain who will take the reins. In the meantime, Trask reveals how he’s processing this situation.

Kyle Trask explains how he’s taking Bucs QB competition

“I’ve been in a lot of quarterback competitions in my football career and I think the main thing you can focus on is just playing the best that you can,” Trask said, via ProFootballTalk.

“There’s a lot of things that are out of your hands, in terms of the competition. It’s the same for me: stay focused on what I can do. I know it’s obviously cliché but it’s the truth — I’m just focused on getting our offense in the best play, the best checks that I possibly can.”

Mayfield has far more experience in the league, but Trask has been with the team for two years now. The Bucs don’t look ready to make a decision yet, so both quarterbacks may have to audition for the role during the preseason games.

At the end of the 2022 campaign, the Bucs received some really tough news. Tom Brady announced his retirement from football, leaving Tampa Bay without a starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

Reports indicate Tampa Bay attempted to lure Tom Brady into another season, yet the seven-time Super Bowl champion declined further play. Consequently, they acquired Baker Mayfield in the offseason, pitting him against Kyle Trask for the starting role.

Buccaneers choose between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask for the starting QB job

The time has come for the Buccaneers to start a new era. Tom Brady’s retirement brought a lot of doubts to Tampa Bay, but the team’s front office acted quickly to try to replace the legendary player with another quarterback.

Last year, Kyle Trask was Brady’s backup, but the club wanted a quarterback with more experience to face the 2023 season. That’s why they signed Baker Mayfield, who played for the Panthers and Rams last campaign.

During the training camps, there was no clear winner between Mayfield and Trask for the starting job. However, now the team has selected who will lead the offense, at least in the first game of the preseason.

According to Buccaneers’ Insider JC Allen, Baker Mayfield will start in Week 1 of the preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers. For Week 2 against the New York Jets, Tampa Bay is set to give Kyle Trask an opportunity.

Reports suggest that Mayfield is set to assume the starting role for the 2023 season. Nonetheless, these upcoming games carry significant weight for the team’s staff, requiring him to meet expectations and outperform Trask in the competition.

The former first-overall pick joined the team as a free agent following Brady’s announcement and looks like the obvious candidate to take the reins, but the Florida product is also fighting for the job.

Selected by the Bucs in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Trask has been waiting for his opportunity while learning closely from the GOAT. According to offensive coordinator Dave Canales, the quarterback competition is very tight.

Competition between Mayfield, Trask for Brady’s vacancy has tightened

“First couple of days, I think the experience that Baker brings — just playing in games, being in camps, going through installs — you could see where the offense was jelling really well,” Canales said, via Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times.

“The timing of the snaps and all that is really critical for us, so probably a little bit of an edge for Baker to start off, just in terms of the smoothness of the offense. But it just took a couple of days for Kyle to really settle in, and then what we saw is, the last two practices Kyle really showed what he can do: stretching the field with his arm, getting the ball out quickly, making decisions. So I’m really excited about both of those guys and the progression that they’ve made throughout the last couple of days.”

While Mayfield has way more experience in the league, Trask has been with the team for two years now, so he knows his teammates and the playbook in and out. With preseason games drawing nearer, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is expected to make a decision soon.

Tom Brady arrived at the Buccaneers for the 2020 NFL season. The team had high expectations for him, and he lived up to them by winning Super Bowl LV against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Unfortunately, his next two years with Tampa Bay were not the best. At the end of the 2022 campaign, the legendary player decided to retire, leaving the Buccaneers without a starting quarterback for the 2023 season.

Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask? Mike Evans picks his preferred replacement for Tom Brady

Once Tom Brady announced his retirement, the Buccaneers knew it wouldn’t be easy to replace him. They found Baker Mayfield available as a free agent, and financially speaking, it was the best option.

Mayfield is not the only quarterback the Buccaneers have nowadays in the locker room. Kyle Trask, who spent the 2022 season as Brady’s backup, will fight against Baker to be the team’s starter this year.

As of today, there’s no clear winner of this competition. Mike Evans, Brady’s favorite target, has weighed in on the matter, talking about the qualities of both quarterbacks.

“Kyle’s improved a lot. I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen from Baker,” Evans told reporters. “Whoever the quarterback will be, I’m positive they’re going to make the right choice and we’re going to win some games.”

With Tom Brady retiring for good, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has a big decision to make this offseason. Who will replace the legendary quarterback who led them to Super Bowl glory, Kyle Trask or Baker Mayfield?

The 2021 second-round pick has been with the team for a while now, so he knows the playbook and has also been learning closely from the GOAT in the past two years. But to actually take the team’s reins is completely different.

The 2018 first-overall pick, on the other hand, is a far more experienced signal-caller who can still be the player he once was. Bowles, however, is not planning to name his starting quarterback anytime soon.

Todd Bowles says he will name Tom Brady’s successor later this summer

“Sometime during camp or right after there will be a decision made,” Bowles said earlier this week, via The Associated Press. “It’s still a competition right now. We’re not going to award (anybody) in shorts and T-shirts. In any competition, there’s waiting involved. You have to see who wins.”

Since the Bucs seized the opportunity to sign Mayfield as a free agent this year, many believe the former Rams QB will be handed the baton. However, he will have to win the job, because it looks like it’s still up for grabs.

Tom Brady is retiring for good, and since the team didn’t have much cap space, the best it could do was to sign Baker Mayfield as a free agent. The former first overall pick, however, will have to win the job.

Kyle Trask may not have a lot of experience but he’s been with the team for two years now. Ahead of the offseason where he’ll compete for an opportunity, the 2021second-rounder revealed what he learned from Brady all these years.

Kyle Trask on what he learned from Tom Brady before his retirement

“I mean, I was in that room every day for two years. I learned so much,” Trask said Monday, via Pro Football Talk. “It’s hard to pinpoint a specific thing I learned from him. But if I were to give you one answer, he [just has] such a tight routine. A true professional.

“That was one takeaway, I would say, is I was able to see what a true professional looks like coming in to work every single day, the highs and lows of whatever it may be, but still coming to work and still getting the job done. No matter what’s going on, you’re still putting your foot down and you’re still putting your best foot forward to try to get the best out of your productivity for the overall success of the team.”

Brady was definitely renowned for his work ethic and perseverance, which along with his talent made him the most successful quarterback of all time. He certainly set an example for guys like Trask, who hope to prove their worth in the league.

The Bucs kind of look prepared for this scenario, even though their tight cap space made things difficult. Kyle Trask has been with the team for a few years now, but they also made sure to land an experienced QB in Baker Mayfield.

While many believe the 2018 first overall pick will clearly be the starter, the Bucs would rather wait. In fact, general manager Jason Licht admitted they could draft another signal-caller to create even more competition.

Bucs GM Jason Licht admits they could draft a QB

“It’s the toughest position to find. It’s the most important position on the team,” Licht Thursday, via ProFootballTalk.“You see teams that in consecutive years take them in the top 10.

“We have an unknown in Kyle. We have Baker], who has had some great years and now we’re hoping he shows up this year in that competition and we get the best out of both of them. I would not be afraid to take a quarterback — another quarterback — because you might as well have another shot at it. Maybe not this year, but maybe in the future.”

The quarterback room could certainly use more depth, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bucs use one of their picks in a signal-caller. But since they have the No. 19 pick in the first round, they may not get one of the top prospects of this year’s class. So, if they’re serious on drafting a QB, maybe they use their No. 50 pick for it.

The Bucs are heading into the offseason with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask in line to battle for the quarterback job, which will bring a lot of responsibility for the starter. Needless to say, Brady set the bar incredibly high.

Head coach Todd Bowles is well aware of all the noise about the Bucs’ next quarterback, which is why he wants to make something clear both for Mayfield and Trask from the very beginning. Far from expecting a superhero, Bowles just wants his signal-caller to get the job done.

Todd Bowles sends message to Mayfield, Trask: ‘You just really need to drive the car’

“You don’t need to be the guy; you need to rely on the 10 guys around you,” Bowles said, via ProFootballTalk. “You don’t need to be the guy. We are not looking for a guy to come in here and be Superman.

“We have great players, you have Mike Evans, you have Chris Godwin, you have Rachaad [White], you have Tristan [Wirfs], you have Ryan Jensen, you have Cade Otton coming; You have guys that you can play with and pieces, so you do not have to be the guy. You just really need to drive the car.”

It remains to be seen who ends up taking the reins,but one thing seems clear: the starter will have to keep it simple. Therefore, before they start to compete for the job, Mayfield and Trask already know what their coach will expect.

The team has already added at the position, seizing the opportunity to sign free agent signal-caller Baker Mayfield. The former first overall pick couldn’t live up to the expectations around him in college so far, but at 27, he can still turn his career around. Besides, the Bucs couldn’t afford an expensive quarterback.

Mayfield, however, will have to earnthe job. Kyle Trask doesn’t have much experience, but he’s been in Tampa Bay for a few years and knows the playbook. In regard to the QB1 role, general manager Jason Licht believes the former Rams QB is ready to compete.

Bucs GM Jason Licht says Baker Mayfield is excited to compete for starting QB job

“Baker is a tough competitor who plays with the kind of passion and confidence that you look for in a quarterback,” Lichtsaid in a statement, via ProFootballTalk. “He’s a young veteran with good upside who should thrive in our new offensive system with receivers like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage.

“He had an impressive 2020 season when he led the Browns to their playoff appearance and did some good things during his brief stint with the Rams at the end of last season. I know from speaking with him that he is excited to come in and compete for the starting job.”

In other circumstances, the Bucs may have gone with another quarterback. But considering their tight cap space, Mayfield made a lot of sense. Now, it’s up to him to win the job and prove his new teamright.

Brady was a massive addition for the Bucs in 2020, helping the team win its second Super Bowl in his very first year away from New England. Though his last season wasn’t great, his presence brought relief.

Now the Bucs have a big decision to make but don’t have enough cap space to target an expensive signal-caller. That’s why 2021 second-rounder Kyle Trask is expected to be promoted to QB1, and according to Bruce Arians, he’ll do just fine.

Bruce Arians believes Bucs will be fine with Kyle Trask

“I think we’re in good hands with Kyle Trask,” Arians said Wednesday on ‘The Rich Eisen Show,’ via CBS Sports. “I love Kyle, he’s been there two years now. … Blaine Gabbert was a great mentor for him. But just like three years ago, you’ve got to search what’s behind door No. 2. Three years ago, we never would’ve guessed Tom Brady was behind door No. 2. So you do your research, you do all your homework, and then you decide what’s best for you. But right now, I’m very comfortable if Kyle’s our guy.

“… He’s worked extremely hard every single day. He’s got all the size, he’s got the arm, he’s got the stature of what we like. And he’s mobile. Now, he’s not a burner, but he’s mobile enough to do some things. Looking at all the young quarterbacks today, he’s not 4.5 [-second] Jalen Hurts-type of guy, but he can do a lot of things that help us win, especially with the players around him.“

The Bucs may explore the free agency before making a decision, but Trask looks like a realistic candidate to win the job. After all, he’s been with the Bucs long enough to getan opportunity.